1. Field of the Invention
A simple method and apparatus that enables a user to produce recordable messages on a postcard. The messages can be played back by a recipient of the postcard.
2. Description of the Related Art
The notion of recording a message on a card and sending the card through the postal system to a recipient for playback has always been present. Great Britain Publication No. 2,264,898A to Simmons teaches the production of greeting cards meant to be sent through the postal system to a recipient for future playback. These type of greeting cards could also have a space for writing a message, a space for a picture, and a button with a voice synthesizer to enable playback of a previously recorded message. FIG. 1 of this publication illustrates that the card 2 includes an EPROM 14, a voice play-back chip 16, a piezo speaker 18 and a battery 20. FIG. 2 of Simmons illustrates the recording unit 1. Recording unit 1 is made up of a central processing unit 4, DRAM 5, a number of switches and indicators 9 and 8 respectively, a microphone 10 and a test play-back speaker 11 as well as its own power source.
Nevertheless, the apparatus of Simmons contains many drawbacks. First, the recording unit 1 is bulky, heavy and requires its own power supply. Second, when a recording is made onto card 2, the recording cannot be changed. Therefore, if the user realizes that the recording on card 2 is unsatisfactory, the user cannot go back to recording unit 1 and re-record the card. Thus, Simmons teaches a “one-shot” recording on the greeting card (page 3, line 27 of Simmons). Furthermore, the system of Simmons requires a separate power source for the card and for the recording unit. This could add extra weight to the recording unit. The recording unit 1 comprises a CPU 4 which is an unnecessary expense and adds to the complexity of the system of Simmons. Also, Simmons uses a piezo speaker 18 which generates a very poor sound quality.
The prior art is replete with examples of greeting cards that do not require a base unit to record and later playback an audio message of a length of 20 seconds. For example, Japanese Publication No. 09-202072 discloses such a greeting card where the recording apparatus and the playback apparatus are all self-contained in a single greeting card. Switch 50 allows for playback of a previously recorded message through speakers 42. Also on the same card is a recording switch 32, a record button 34, a microphone 66 and an LED 36 that indicates when a message is being recorded. The drawback for these “all-in-one” greeting cards is inadvertent deployment of the recording switches and buttons while the greeting card is being mailed through the postal service. Furthermore, as such a card requires a lot of circuitry to both record and to playback, the weight and size of the card can become enormous.
EP 0,277,276A1 to Kondo illustrates another “all-in-one” greeting card 1 that contains a power source 10, microphone 7, three switches SW1, SW2 and SW3, a record/playback controller 30, speaker 8 and IC 30 (Toshiba T C8830). One common problem with cards that carry voice messages produced without the need of a separate recording unit is that the record button (SW3) may be accidentally pushed during mailing, destroying the message intended for the recipient. Kondo overcomes this by having a pin 20 illustrated in FIGS. 5A & 5B that, when removed, prevents the inadvertent recording of the card when placed with the postal system. Nevertheless, the card of Kondo is thick, heavy and fragile. A circuit board 4 is used in addition to bosses 5 and screws 6 making the card of Kondo less suitable for mailing than if the recording was to be accomplished by a separate recorder. Furthermore, the addition of features such as pin 20 complicates the recording and mailing process as the user must handle minute parts in order for the greeting card to work properly. Also, use of a small pin 20 deters one from reusing a single postcard in a later application.
What is needed is a simplified, easily portable, lightweight and attractive looking recording unit that can record messages on a postcard for later playback, the postcard having a thickness of only 5.5 mm. The recording unit is not to be too bulky or ugly, but instead, is rather small, lightweight and attractive enough to be placed on someone's desk. Furthermore, what is needed is a recording unit that has only one power supply, that power supply being in the card itself, overcoming the need for plugging into an electrical wall socket the base unit or the need to have a separate power supply for the base recording unit. What is also needed is a card capable of playing back an audio message while absent the possibility of having the message being accidentally erased when handled by the postal service. What is also needed is a device that can produce personalized, custom-made audio messages. Also, if the person recording deems the voice message stored on the card to be unsatisfactory, it is easily possible to record a new message on the card that overwrites the previous message. Therefore, what is needed is a recording unit that is powered by a battery inside the card during record and play-back.